Many vehicles, as for example, lightweight, highly mobile armored military vehicles, require power plants having a high powered density. That is to say, in such vehicles, it is highly desirable that the power plant be capable of providing some maximum desired power output and yet occupy a minimum spacial volume.
As is well known, of known types of power plants, a simple cycle gas turbine holds a decided advantage in power density over other forms of engines. Furthermore, simple cycle gas turbines are easily started even in a wide variety of hostile environmental conditions, a characteristic that is highly desirable in a power plant for a military vehicle. Thus, it would seem that such simple cycle gas turbine engines would be ideally suited for this sort of application.
However, such is not presently the case. In particular, such engines suffer from poor fuel economy when operating at less than full load conditions. An armored military vehicle is frequently required to spend long periods of operation in a so-called in a "silent watch" mode wherein high loading on the power unit is not required but where partial loading is present due to the need to operate, for example, electronic and/or hydraulic systems. Because operation in such a mode occurs, as mentioned, over long periods of time, fuel economy is of real concern and the lack of it disqualifies an otherwise ideal form of engine from use in such vehicles.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.